In Nainital, it is a one-sided fight, I am confident of victory: Ajay Bhatt

Just before the last leg of the campaigning, BJP candidate for the Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar seat, Ajay Bhatt, spoke to TOI correspondent Yogesh Kumar about the big poll battle between him and former CM Harish Rawat in this election, and why he is confident of emerging victorious


The contest between you and Harish Rawat is being dubbed as a do-or-die battle for both of you. How you are gearing up for it?

All elections are important, but yes, this one is special. As for the preparations, being the state president of the BJP, I had gone to every nook and corner of the state for building the organisational network of the party at the booth level. So voters are aware of me and I am getting an overwhelming response in the campaign. After PM Modi’s rally (in

Rudrapur

), it has become a one-sided fight. I am confident of my victory..

But many say that Harish Rawat has made the battle tough for the BJP in

Nainital

?
Not at all. In Uttarakhand, we have a Modi tsunami and our party will win all the five seats with a huge margin. The Congress’s manifesto which talks of scrapping the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), has sealed its fate in

Uttarakhand

where almost every family has a member in the army.

What makes you feel that there is a Modi wave in Uttarakhand?
People have seen what the BJP government has delivered in the past five years — whether it is the country’s vikas (development) or taking a tough stand on the country’s security. The response of people to Modi ji’s rallies in Rudrapur and

Dehradun

are proof enough of the Modi tsunami.

A significant proportion of voters in the Nainital-Udham Singh seat are Muslim and Dalits who have traditionally not been BJP voters. How are you planning to attract them?
Our party doesn’t believe in the politics of appeasement like the Congress and other parties do. For the BJP, it is always the nation first. All our schemes--Atal Ayushman Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Jan Dhan and many others-- are for everyone irrespective of caste, religion or class. We are seeking votes based on the work that we have done.

What is your vision for the constituency if you are elected?
The Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar seat has a unique mix of sectors like agriculture, industry and tourism. I would focus on all these sectors. For instance, I plan to revive the HMT factory and boost other industries in the region for job creation. I would also ensure that a five-year master plan is made for Naini lake and all other big and small lakes and ponds in the area so that their conservation can be facilitated, and the area’s tourism potential also gets a boost.

After the polling, are you going to take back your responsibilities as state BJP president?
It was an interim arrangement by the party to have Naresh Bansal ji as president since I am contesting the elections. After April 11, I would again serve the party as the state president.